Come tosto sparisci

Scipione Dentice was a contemporary of Gesualdo, working in Naples at the turn of the 17th century. Although often labelled madrigal composer, his output also included a significant amount of sacred music. This setting of a text by Giambattista Marino, a poet famous for his elaborate conceits, is for SATB choir and sung in Italian. The text itself is a short, sharp meditation on the fleeting nature of earthly treasures, wealth and glory. Dentice’s music reflects this by setting the words with a sense of urgency and declamatory force, particularly in the opening lines. The piece is a fine example of the expressive sacred polyphony of the late Renaissance or early Baroque period.